My Mom and I with my cousin Jenny
Proof that women can sucessfully parallel park without our husbands...go Rhonda!
My Mom and I on our balcony on a windy, fall day
The beautiful lake view from our room...Northern Minnesota at its finest!
A bucket of gorgeous fall flowers from my hospitality breakout session
Part of the demo table from a floral arranging demonstration
I thought I'd post some fun pictures from the women's retreat I went to recently. It was a much needed break from my everyday routine, although it was sort of stressful because I led a breakout session. Our theme was "Loving Well" so I was asked to put together a session on the ministry of hospitality and how to make your house a home. The session(s) went very well, but it was alot of work to pull it off. I had to take tons of dishes and accessories and all of my floral tools, etc., so it made for a wicked packing adventure! Oh, and I was sick with a sinus infection! However, it was a fun way to use the talents God has given me and my years of floral design, not to mention my degree, for a godly purpose. It awakened some old desires in me to do more with the gifts God has blessed me with. More fun than all of that however, was that I got to go with my Mom and with my cousins, Jenny and Rhonda. We had so much fun laughing and being together...that's what makes a retreat so worthwhile! We also were so blessed to participate in a weekend designed by Beth Moore and her team. I love sitting under her teaching and I left with so much insight and a challenge to "love well." I'm kind of amazed at the timing of this retreat...it was a little difficult to prepare, knowing and feeling like I was so empty, but I've also wondered if God didn't plan it that way? I think we often serve Him best when we're broken and completely dependant on Him. That's the blessing of heartache...it tends to prompt your heart toward God's strength and not your own. I'm so happy that I was able to go to this retreat and I am already looking forward to the next one!
